Following expert findings on the actual state of the animals, SIA “Rīgas meži” is launching an auction of the hunting rights for the red deer on its property. The herd is located at the company's Daugava forestry unit – within the territory of the Environmental Education Centre in Tīnūži parish, near Ogre.
The auction is being held for the lease of hunting rights for 42 (the count is provisional) red deer of various ages and both sexes for the period from 15 August this year until the end of the year. The auction is scheduled to take place in person on 22 May at the “Rīgas meži” office. Auction documents are available on the company's website: https://ej.uz/zo3s.
Previously, in 2022, “Rīgas meži” had already organised two auctions for the red deer herd; both concluded without results.
Independent experts were engaged to evaluate the red deer enclosure and determine its possible future scenarios – the association “Bioloģisko lauksaimnieku un savvaļas dzīvnieku audzētāju asociācija” (Association of Organic Farmers and Wild Animal Breeders), as well as an animal appraiser. They provided findings on both the animals and the potential future development directions for the red deer enclosure within the Environmental Education Centre's territory. The findings state that in its current execution, the deer enclosure does not fully meet the goals of “Rīgas meži” and its environmental education programme. Specifically, the animals are practically invisible within the territory of more than 100 hectares, and therefore cannot be used for environmental education activities as tangible visual material.
Furthermore, the objective for the enclosure's establishment set in 2008 – to ensure red deer breeding and the propagation of the species' population in the forests managed by the company – is not achievable, including because it cannot be ensured with the genetic pool of the animals that has developed over time.
In turn, before launching the red deer hunting rights auction and taking into account the situation that has actually developed over time, “Rīgas meži” consulted with the association “Latvijas Mednieku savienība” (Latvian Hunters Association). Its representatives recommended the desired timing for the implementation of the planned measure – from October to December. At the same time, in the association's view, opening the red deer enclosure and releasing the animals into the wild or transporting them to other territories, which is technically a very complex process at this scale, would not be supported. Such action would also not ensure the successful preservation and development of the population.
The “Rīgas meži” red deer enclosure was established in 2008, when the company purchased and housed 20 animals in a closed territory.